Best Message Apps

249+ iOS apps curated and reviewed

4.5 avg rating
20 free apps
Updated November 2026

Messages is the household name in message, but it's far from the only option. We track 249+ alternatives and competitors on iOS — many free, many higher-rated than you'd expect.

Compare top Message Apps (November 2026)

#AppPriceRatingAdsIn-App PurchasesUpdated
1MessagesMessagesFree4.1★ (39K)NoNoNov 2026
2MessengerMessengerFree4.7★ (14M)YesYesNov 2026
3Telegram MessengerTelegram MessengerFree4.0★ (286K)NoYesNov 2026
4WhatsApp MessengerWhatsApp MessengerFree4.7★ (19M)YesYesNov 2026
5Lemon8 - Lifestyle CommunityLemon8 - Lifestyle CommunityFree4.6★ (283K)YesNoNov 2026
6Signal - Private MessengerSignal - Private MessengerFree4.7★ (1.1M)NoYesNov 2026
7TextNow: Call + Text UnlimitedTextNow: Call + Text UnlimitedFree4.8★ (928K)YesYesNov 2026
8Whats Messenger AppWhats Messenger AppFree4.5★ (911)YesYesNov 2026

Top Picks for Message

4.1😊(39K ratings)
Free
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Communicate with contacts through unlimited texts, photos, videos, and documents. Supports iMessage for Apple devices and RCS, SMS, and MMS for others. Features include message editing, unsending, and scheduling.

What We Love

  • 🚀 Fast and reliable messaging
  • 🔒 End-to-end encryption
  • 👍 Seamless integration with Apple devices
  • 💡 Fun features like Memoji and stickers
  • 🤝 Easy group chat management

Room to Improve

  • 🐛 Occasional bugs and glitches
  • 🔍 Limited search functionality
  • 📤 Inability to delete messages for others
  • 🔔 Lack of typing indicators in group chats
  • 📱 Incompatibility with non-Apple devices
Messenger#2

Messenger by Meta Platforms, Inc.

Text, audio and video calls
Strong Contender
🌐 Social Networking
4.7😞(14M ratings)
FreeAdsIn-App Purchases
#9in Social Networking
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Connect with friends and family through text, audio, and video calls. Share photos in high definition, create shared albums, and send large files directly in chat. Features an AI assistant for instant answers and creative image generation.

What We Love

  • 📱 Useful for staying connected with friends and family
  • 🗣️ Enables easy communication through text, voice, and video
  • 💬 Convenient group chat features
  • 🌐 Works across multiple devices and platforms

Room to Improve

  • 🐛 Frequent crashes and bugs
  • 🔒 Privacy and security concerns
  • 🔄 Unnecessary updates that remove useful features
  • 📤 Issues with message delivery and notifications
  • 🗂️ Cluttered interface and poor organization of chats
Telegram Messenger#3

Telegram Messenger by Telegram FZ-LLC

Fast. Secure. Powerful.
Worth Considering
🌐 Social Networking
4.0😊(286K ratings)
FreeIn-App Purchases
#2in Social Networking
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A fast, secure, and powerful instant messaging app that syncs across all your devices. It offers unlimited media and file sharing, robust encryption, and advanced features like group chats for up to 200,000 members and bots.

What We Love

  • 🚀 Fast and efficient
  • 🔒 Secure and private
  • 👍 Customizable and user-friendly
  • 💡 Innovative features like channels and bots
  • 🌟 Great overall messaging experience

Room to Improve

  • 🐛 Buggy and unstable at times
  • 🔋 Battery life issues
  • 🚫 Lack of video calling feature
  • 📂 Issues with media uploads and downloads
  • 🔍 Inadequate search functionality

More Message apps to explore

FAQ about Message

What are the best message apps for iPhone?
Messages tops our message apps ranking as of November 2026, with a 4.1-star average from 39K App Store ratings, and it's free to download.
Yes — 20 of the top message apps we rank are free to download, including Messages and Messenger.
Messages has no ads and has no in-app purchases, according to its App Store listing as of November 2026.
We track 249+ message apps on the iOS App Store as of November 2026, ranked by rating, recency, and analysis of real user reviews.

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